Teams | Collaboration | Customer Service | Project Management

What is a PERT chart? Easy steps to create and use one

If you’ve ever struggled with mapping project tasks or keeping track of dependencies, we have the perfect solution for you. A PERT chart, also known as a PERT diagram, is a tool used to schedule, organize, and map out tasks within a project. PERT stands for program evaluation and review technique. It provides a visual representation of a project's timeline and breaks down individual tasks. These charts are similar to Gantt charts, but structured differently.

How to create crystal clear action items

Action items are follow up tasks that you create from a meeting. They should be clearly defined with a description and a deadline, and help bring the conversations you have in meetings to life. Here, we’ll show you the benefits of creating action items, how to create them, and potential mistakes to avoid. It's the end of a successful project kickoff meeting and your team members are ready to move forward to execute everything that was decided in the meeting.

Understanding the Pareto principle (The 80/20 rule)

The Pareto principle (also known as the 80/20 rule) is a phenomenon that states that roughly 80% of outcomes come from 20% of causes. In this article, we break down how you can use this principle to help prioritize tasks and business efforts. When you get into the office in the morning, what's the first thing you do? Most people grab their caffeinated beverage of choice, check their email, and prioritize their tasks for the day. But what techniques do you use to identify what needs to get done first?

What is a workcation? (And when should you take one?)

Workcations are a work and travel trend that combine working and taking a vacation. They’re on the rise, thanks in a large part to the increased location flexibility and rising worker burnout. Taking a workcation might be just what you need to destress, recharge, and get motivated—as long as you plan it the right way.

Tips for creating a request for information (RFI) document and template

A request for information (RFI) is a document a company sends to vendors to gather information on vendors’ available services, qualifications, and products. RFI documents can include everything from general goals and objectives to evaluation criteria and submission details. An RFI template makes it easy for your team to find the best vendors to help you complete new projects. Learn how to create an effective RFI process and when to use one.

Collaboration and coordination are different-here's when to use them

More collaboration isn’t always better. In fact, research from The Work Innovation Lab, a think tank by Asana, shows that too much collaboration can actually hold workers back. In a survey of over 1,500 workers, 29% of leaders said that the expectations put on employees to collaborate prevented them from completing their work. But while too much collaboration is bad, teams still need to work together to achieve business goals.

6 project constraints and how to manage them for project success

Project constraints are the general limitations of a project, including time, costs, and risks. Understanding project constraints is important because they affect project performance. In this piece, we’ll discuss project constraints in detail and explain how to manage them. Have you ever been to the circus and watched the performers do a balancing act? They somehow manage to hold multiple plates up in the air so gracefully that it feels like they must be using magic.

Four-Day Workweek: The Good, The Bad & The Reality

Studies have shown that the four-day workweek, which allows employees to work fewer days without a change in benefits or pay, can increase employee productivity and overall happiness. But it’s not the right fit for every company or team. Here’s how to know if it will work for you. The four-day workweek is no longer just a radical idea—it’s becoming a serious consideration for businesses looking to rethink work schedules, productivity, and employee mental health.

Tech leaders' new edge: Strategic and deeply human

Today’s IT leaders are no longer just operators. They’re strategists
and deal-makers. According to a recent report on the state of today’s IT leader published by The Work Innovation Lab, a think tank by Asana, there’s been a dynamic shift in today’s IT environment away from traditional IT roles toward strategic partnership roles.

Build a marketing operations strategy in 4 steps

Marketing operations describes the function of overseeing an organization's marketing program, planning, and strategic activities. By bringing team members with unique skill sets together, you can build a strategy that meets your most important goals. Learn four steps to create an effective marketing operations strategy, plus why it matters. Operations management is a crucial part of any organization because it keeps everyday processes running smoothly.